help me to improve my character

[Shade]

i am really bad in drawing characters but i tried my best. please give me some advice on how i can improve my character.

x1: x2:Ã,  --->UPDATE:Ã,  Ã, x1: x2:

[big brother]

-identify a light source
-don't use programmer's pink as a background, instead pick a more neutral color
-keep outlines consistent (don't have dark outlines around his face and light outlines everywhere else. Hell, you don't even NEED outlines.)

[Chicky]

Heh, it looks like CJ

[InCreator]

* Head is too round. Look and think and you'll agree.
* Arms are too short. Stand up and try - your fingertips should reach about halfway to knees. But on your sprite?
* Stomach area is too tall - I think that reducing there would improve arms too... so start with stomach first.
* Face could be taller and less wide. Leave more area for mouth and nose. And add a forehead.

...And most important / sticking out thing -

* Pants are shaded... a bit wrong. I love your idea of a shade, but you have to shade feet' sides darker to make pants cylindrical - as they should be. Currently, it's way too flat, like a cardboard cutout. Think and give a try.
Also, you could make t-shirt darker near both sides, it looks currently flat too.

Once again, I bring the geniality of SNK animators as a good example how to do things right:



Pay attention to proportions, shading and color usage...

[Saberteeth]

Maybe something like this:



*changed the shading
*changed the face

I'm still quite new to shading so don't hit me if I did smething wrong.

[Shade]

first of all thanks for the replies!
right here are the new versions. the first one is the same as in myÃ,  first post but with different shading and the arms are slightly longer.
the second one has a bigger face and the upper body is smaller. i don't know why but i don't really like the second one...it looks to me more like him
anyway here are the new versions:

(1) x1: x2: Ã,  Ã, (2) x1: x2:

how is it now?

[Andail]

-don't use programmer's pink as a background, instead pick a more neutral color

Hm, most sprite artists use a non-neutral colour as a background, just to make sure it doesn't blend in and create glitches or transparent pixels when loaded into the sprite-manager.
Pink or very bright green are quite suitable, imo.

[InCreator]

No-no-no. You're going for wrong direction now -- why add colors? The point is to USE the colors you have, not try to patch things up by adding them. Sure, the pants are shaded better now. And shirt looks rounder too. But how are you going to animate this?

I tried to go my way again... and look.
4 pants colors
4 shirt colors
5 skin colors (snapped from NeoGeo palette)
essential black and white and gray shades (for glasses)
________
Total: 16 colors

(I didn't count hair color, since I only trimmed it a bit, but didn't change much)



This is just for ideas, I don't really like how face turned out and darkest skin shade is a bit too dark, IMO, but I hope it helps a bit. It all took about 15 minutes and is actually a very simple pixel play.

Edit
If you're going for nerdy guy (as he looks), I suggest some cool text onto his shirt, like "X-Files", "Linux", Apple logo or something like this...

[big brother]

Hm, most sprite artists use a non-neutral colour as a background, just to make sure it doesn't blend in and create glitches or transparent pixels when loaded into the sprite-manager.
Pink or very bright green are quite suitable, imo.

Sprites end up against magenta on the actual sprite sheet, but are seldom drawn that way. Due to the miracle of optical mixing, your colors will look different depending on the hues they're against.

Unless your intended background is extremely bright and saturated (please God, no), you're better off working with a neutral color behind your sprite.

[Shade]

may i introduce the new version. imo it's much better now. thanks for the advice to use only a few colors (never thought about that before). since i am not so good at drawing characters i am quite happy with the result (this character: Ã, :o my old ones: Ã,  ) but i am sure there is more to improve.

x1: x2:

If you're going for nerdy guy (as he looks), I suggest some cool text onto his shirt, like "X-Files", "Linux", Apple logo or something like this...

well he shouldn't be a nerd...but during this process he became one Ã, 
i think he will just wear a white t-shirt because my game (if i finish it Ã, ) is roughly settled in the 1950's-1960's and there sadly was no linux or x-files Ã, :'(. but we'll see... probably he is the man behind linux...

EDIT: JUHU!Ã, 

[InCreator]

Replace pants outline color to DARKEST blue shade of your palette! Brighter outlines are used VERY rarely and they even rarely do any good. Apart from that, you have a helluva great sprite now 

[lo_res_man]

He looks like his permanently stooped over, IMHO but great job on the jeans

[buloght]

Just have to say, I dig the shoes! Continue.

[DanClarke]

My problem with this is that it seems a bit whipped up, almost as if it's been drawn with no real background or intent. The body suggests this is quite a broad and strong person, but the face and glasses contradict this. If you have deliberately intended to create a strong looking person with a 'nerdy' kind of face then i apologize.

My advice would be to make sure you're certain of the traits and the personality of the character you're creating before you draw. For example you could make a list of the persons attributes, what they're like, how they talk etc. and this will in turn give you a more solid foundation to build characters visually.

As for the actual drawing, i quite like the style and you're certainly a lot better than you think you are!

[Shade]

first of all thanks for helping me.
well i made a back and a side view. the shading seems to be wrong and the side view looks weird...i need help again.

x1:
x2:

@DanClarke: i thought much about my characters before i began with the game otherwise i wouldn't have started it. but you are absolutely right he looks strong and nerdy. it wasn't my intention and the picture of him i have in mind looks different but i beat myself with this sprite and i am really really happy with the result. with a little bit of imagination he doesn't look strong and nerdyÃ, 
but thanks for the advice!

wait a minute...i haven't tried to use the FORCE...

[Babar]

Small thing, but in the side view, the back of the glasses (The bit behind the ear) shouldn't really be visible. Unless he has some very weird ears.

[Afflict]

Ok heres what ill add:
*Nothing is matching up in the sideview.
              - The arms are longer
              - His hair grew a whole pixel
              -  His mouth is a pixel lower.
              - The shoes grew almost double in size.
              - From the shading I gather in the front and back his way to skinny.
              - neck, jaw etc lines dont match up... etc.

Other than that the shading on the back view is a little off on the lower back look like he has a extra stomach emerging

I dont like the arms at all they look wierd I think its the tshirts lines on the sleeves.

In the back view the shoes are open in the side view they are concealed by the pants.

The sprite is good, practice makes perfect or in my case just a sleep deprived zombie

Enjoy

Afflict.

[pslim]

I think he's shaping up nicely.

I will add, though, that he doesn't seem to have any hair on the lower half of his skull. Most people's head hair covers their entire scalp and extends partway down the back of their neck. It looks like his head is all shaved except for the top, which has grown long and covered most, but not all, of the back of his skull. If this is the haircut he's supposed to have then ignore me... otherwise, I'd suggest putting at least some fuzz down there on his head.

[Shade]

ok hopefully i fixed everything (more or less). how is it now?

x1:
x2:

The sprite is good, practice makes perfect or in my case just a sleep deprived zombie

if you see him again send him to meÃ, 

[Haddas]

He seems to have a different hairstyle in the front view than in the side view.